Cape Summer Trail Series® 2019

Kirstenbosch

1Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens15 January 2019

For race 1 of the Cape Summer Trail Series® you get an exclusive opportunity to do a sunset run through the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Participants get the amazing experience of running past the fragrance gardens, up onto the fringes of Cecilia Forest along the contour path. After the beautiful mountain trails, there's a playful technical descent followed by a magnificent indigenous forest. Then back into the gardens and through the magical setting of the cycad forest at night and onto the festive finish line.

Entries are limited, online entries advised. Sold out event in 2017/2018.

Short Course

Long Course

From the cozy Marque lawns adjacent to gate 2, we start off along the wide main access walkway past the fragrance garden to the Otter pond. From here we start an undulating climb through the concert arena, past Van Riebeeks hedge and on up to pass ‘Rycroft Gate’ (1km). Through the seed garden we go and up into the fringes of Cecelia Forest, climbing all the way up past the irrigation dam to the contour path at the star of Rooikat kloof (3.3km). Here we breath easy as we enjoy the flat and fast contour path before a sharp turn brings us down a fast technical descent back into the gardens. Through the Protea gardens we go and onto the Boekenhout trail where we find the Challenge and Championship course split (4.6km).

From the split we climb a steep short climb out of Boekenhout and onto a main garden access track (4.75km) through the Silvertree forests. We follow this all the way through magnificent indigenous forests to Loeriebos and Lübberts Gift before turning back (6.8km) towards the main gardens and onto the Yellowwood trail.

Crossing Window and Skeleton ravines, the final climb takes us up to past the small concrete reservoirs (8.8km) before hooking up with the final downhill section of Boekenhout trail, past the old dam and into the Erica garden.

The final stretch is a real treat. With the gardens closed at 7pm we have been given permission to run through the cycads, past the Colonel Bird Bath (9.2km) and down the stepping stones to pop out next to the Otter pond (9.5km). The final dash is back along past the fragrance garden to the finish.

Short Course

From the cozy Marque lawns adjacent to gate 2, we start off along the wide main access walkway past the fragrance garden to the Otter pond. From here we start an undulating climb through the concert arena, past Van Riebeeks hedge and on up to pass ‘Rycroft Gate’ (1km). Through the seed garden we go and up into the fringes of Cecelia Forest, climbing all the way up past the irrigation dam to the contour path at the star of Rooikat kloof (3.3km). Here we breath easy as we enjoy the flat and fast contour path before a sharp turn brings us down a fast technical descent back into the gardens. Through the Protea gardens we go and onto the Boekenhout trail where we find the Challenge and Championship course split (4.6km).

From the split the Challenge route turns down Boekenhout for a fun and fast technical trail section, past the old dam and into the Erica gardens. The final stretch is a real treat. With the gardens closed at 7pm we have been given permission to run through the cycads, past the Colonel Bird Bath (5.3km) and down the stepping stones to pop out next to the Otter pond (5.6km). The final dash is back along past the fragrance garden to the finish.

WILDRUNNER TRAIL RUNNING GRADING SYSTEM (WTG)

The Wildrunner Trail Grading system (WTG), was developed in 2009 and designed to help you make informed decisions on trail running events around the country. Unlike road running, trail running routes and races have many more facets to them, making them either harder or longer (in time) than you may expect.

Every race/event should give you the total distance and accumulative ascent, but using road running sense to work out your time based on these factors alone would be a mistake!

The three primary 'trail factors' affecting your overall time and effort on a trail run are as follows:
1. Terrain difficulty (easy or tricky?)
2. % single track/off-road to on-road (how much on difficult terrain?)
3. Route severity (how steep?)

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The three factors mentioned above have been expanded into an easy three part grading system. Each trail factor is listed below with the descriptions. Look out for races with a WTG and use this guide to make informed decisions.

DEFINITIONS:
'Technical' terrain = trail that is ‘busy’, that requires extensive concentration and trail running technique - for example a rocky hiking path, or a 4x4 track.
'Off-trail'= Describes sections that do not have any obvious or established route, for example a river bed, grass field or a section of beach.
'Single-track' = Describing a trail that is narrow and typically only wide enough for one runner to run on at a time and in single file. Examples of typical single track would be a hiking trail, mountain bike trail, game trail, livestock trail

All Wildrunner events (www.wildrunner.co.za) carry this grading system - look out for the grading on the event listing.

PART 1: TERRAIN DIFFICULTY

YELLOW = Easy, non-technical terrain, all on established trails and tracks
ORANGE= Moderately easy terrain, short sections of ‘technical’ terrain but largely easy running, all on established trails and tracks
GREEN = Moderate challenging terrain, with a mix of ‘technical’ and ‘non technical’ terrain, mostly on established trails and tracks but may or may not have extended sections regarded as being ‘off-trail’
BROWN = Moderately difficult terrain, more ‘technical’ terrain than ‘non-technical’ terrain, challenging but mostly on established trails and tracks although may or may not have extended sections regarded as being ‘off-trail’
RED = Difficult terrain, majority ‘technical’ terrain that is extremely demanding, may or may not have large sections on un-established trails and tracks